Method and installation for filling sterilized containers in a sterile space with a sterilized substance and subsequent closure of said containers



g- 1967 J. B. VAN DER WINDEN 3,336,722 METHOD AND INSTALLATION FORFILLING STERILIZED CONTAINERS IN,A STERILE SPACE WITH A STERILIZEDSUBSTANCE AND SUBSEQUENT CLOSURE OF SAID CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 10, 19632 Sheets-Sheet l "wing-r on N O m v 9. it C a l N O 91 m N- Hz 3 w z 82r 3- g 1' m w m Ag N I: N

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ER WINDEN ATION FOR FILLING ST SPACE WITH A S T AND SUBSEQUENT CLOSUREAug. 22, 1967 J. B. VAN D METHOD AND INSTALL OF SAID CONTAINERS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10

United States Patent 3,336,722 METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR FILLINGSTERILIZED CONTAINERS IN A STERILE SPACE WITH A STERILIZED SUBSTANCE ANDSUBSEQUENT CLOSURE 0F SAID CONTAINERS Johannes B. van der Winden,Amstelveen, Netherlands, assignor to Gebr. Stork & Co.s ApparatenfahriekN.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands Filed Sept. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 307,956Claims priority, application Netherlands, Sept. 17, 1962, 283,313 14Claims. (Cl. 53-37) The invention relates to a method for fillingsterilized containers in a sterile space with a sterilized substance,Whereafter said containers are closed. Various methods have beenattempted, but due to the fact that so far it has not been possible toeliminate completely the risk of reinfection on filling and closing, ithas been deemed necessary to carry out a second sterilization of thefilled containers in order to be sure of the storage qualities of thesubstance in the containers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a continuous method in whichthe second sterilization required heretofore is eliminated.

The invention also contemplates operating with a sterilized substanceand containers, so as to obtain in one process a product with unlimitedstorage qualities.

The substance to be put in the containers may be a liquid like milk forinstance, but a granular or powdery product can be treated as well bythe method according to the invention. The expression containers is usedhere in the generic sense and includes bottles, tins and the like.

The invention relates further to an installation for filling containerswith a sterilized substance and for subsequent closing of continuouslyfed sterilized containers, the said installation comprising a sterilespace, a conveyor, a portion of which is capable of movement within thesaid space, and a station, situated outside of the sterile space, forfeeding containers to the conveyor. An object of the invention furtherconsists in providing as installation which makes it possible to obtaina continuous process wherein any possibility of reinfection duringfilling and closing is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to avoid any risk of infection fromthe outside of the sterile space owing to the conveyor extending beyondthis space.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear in the description to follow. In the description reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and inwhich there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation aspecific form in which the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a first embodiment of the invention,the side walls being removed for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 shows the same view of an to a second embodiment;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken along the lines III-III andIV-1V, respectively in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the installation according to FIG. 2, the upperwall being removed.

As is visible in FIG. 1 the installation consists of a housing 1,enclosing a sterile space 2. Provided in this housing is a conveyor 3which partially is situated within the said space 2. There is further afeeding station 4 and a discharge station 5 for the containers 6, whichin this case are constituted by bottles. The conveyor 3 is guidedinstallation according along a number of wheels 7 one or more of whichcan be driven for the locomotion of the conveyor.

The path of the conveyor 3 within the sterile space 2 consists of afirst part 8 in which the containers are moved in a downwardly inclinedposition and a second part 9 in which the containers are moved in asubstantially erect position. For the rest of the path the conveyor 3extends under the liquid level of a disinfectant bath 10 situated on theside of the feeding station 4, and of a disinfectant bath 11, situatedon the side of the discharge station 5. The housing 1 at the location ofthese baths 10 and 11 is partially open and the walls 12 and 13 of thishousing are immersed into the baths 1t and 11 respectively in order toform a scaling for the sterile space 2.

A duct 14 provided with four mouths 15, situated within the space 2,serves for the continuous supply to this space of sterilized substancewith which the containers 6 are to be filled. Filling is effected by adistributor 16 which is synchronously moved with the conveyor 3. In theembodiment according to FIG. 1 this distributor 16 consists of anendless belt, formed by a row of pivotally interconnected funnels 17,the lowermost part of the belt being substantially parallel to thesecond portion 9 of the conveyor path.

Disposed within the sterile space 2 are means 18 for providing a closureon the containers 6. Under the portion 9 of the path is a catch plate 19with a discharge duct 20 for catching and discharging the substance, ifany, which has left the months 15 but has not entered the containers 6.Connected to the space 2 is a blower 21, feeding sterile air at a lightoverpressure to the space 2. A steam inlet 22 for the sterilization ofthe entire instal lation after a normal cleansing, and further a safety23 are both connected to the space 2.

The feeder station 4 is provided with a tank 24 containing liquiddisinfectant which is fed by way of a duct 25 to the first row ofcontainers 6 fed on a table 26. There is further provided a tube 27 forfeeding the containers 6 to carriers 28 of the conveyor 3. Above theportion of the conveyor 3 situated at the left in FIGURE 1 and in thebath is a guide plate 29 for holding the containers 6 under the liquidlevel of the bath 10, this plate 29 extending also along the portion 8of the path in order to support the containers in their downwardlyinclined position.

The discharge station 5 is provided with slanting rails 30 for graduallylifting the containers 6 from the conveyor portion at the right handside in FIG. 1. Provided in the wall 13 of the sterile space 2 is a portshaped passage or tunnel 31 at the level of the surface of the bath, thesaid passage permitting passage of the containers, slightly projectingfrom the bath. There is further provided a discharge chain 32, which issynchronized with the conveyor 3 for the purpose of gradually takingover the feeding function of the conveyor 3 whereby the containers 6 arecarried on the rails 30 towards the curved end 33. Under this end 33 isa conventional device 34 for periodically receiving the foremost row offilled and closed containers 6 for transporting this row to anotherconveyor 35. Ducts 36 and 37 ensure that the level in the bath 11remains at the desired height.

The operation of the installation is as follows. The sterilizedcontainers 6 are fed on the table 26. The foremost container by way ofthe duct 25 is filled with disinfectant liquid from the tank 24. Onaccount of its own weight the foremost container falls by way of thetube 27 in a carrier 28 of the conveyor 3 and is thus entirely submergedin the liquid of the bath 10. During the further advance of the conveyor3 a possible upward movement of the containers 6 is impeded by the plate29. The containers subsequently pass in the portion 8 of the pathsituated within the sterile space 2. The disinfectant flows from thecontainers in this portion of the path and are speed in the samedirection. The sterilized substance is continuously supplied by way ofthe duct 14 and the mouths 15. The capacity of each mouth 15 isdetermined in such manner that on passing a funnel 17 the influx thereinis exactly a quarter of the volume of a container 6. In this way thecontainers 6 are gradually filled as is visible in FIGURE 1. In theevent of stoppage or slowdown in feeding the containers, the substancesupplied through the mouths 15 flows off by way of the catch plate 19and the duct 20 to a sterilizer (not shown) in order to be sterilizedagain.

The container 6 is closed by means of the device 18 which, in theembodiment represented in the drawing, insures that a sterile closure isprovided on the bottle 6. The containers 6 leave the sterile space 2 byway of the port or tunnel 31. The sealing of this space in respect ofthe atmosphere is partially effected by the bath 11 and for the rest bythe sterilized air which is flowing from the tunnel 31 and around theupper portion of the containers 6 so that the atmosphere cannotpenetrate the space 2.

The filled and closed containers are further conveyed by way of thedischarge chain 32 and the rails 30. The conveyor 3 together with thecarriers 28 remain under the liquid level of the bath 11, where theremainder, if any, of the filling substance is Washed away. The conveyorpasses through the sterile space 2 via the paths 8, 9 and thereuponsubmerges again in the bath 10, after which the cycle is repeated. Sincethe conveyor 3, apart from the sterile space 2, is never moving abovethe liquid level of the disinfectant baths 10 and 11, the risk ofinfection of the conveyor is eliminated.

The conveyor 3 according to FIG. 1 is always represented with a singlecarrier 23, but it will be obvious that a row of a number of carriersmay be arranged for receiving the containers fed in a row of an equalnumber on the table 26.

The installation according to FIGURES 2-5 corresponds essentially withthat according to FIG. 1 and corresponding elements are thereforedenoted by the same references. The most important differences are themodified construction of the distributor 16, the provision of only onedisinfectant bath and the lateral feeding and discharging of thecontainers.

The distributor 16 consists in this case of a rotatable annular element50 with outflow openings 51. Above element 50 is situated the mouth 15of the feed duct 14. The conveyor portion 52 is in the shape of an arcof a circle extending under element 50. The element 50 consists of anumber of funnels 53, arranged in an annular configuration and adjoiningone another.

The conveyor 3 according to this modification does not move in a singleplane as in the installation according to FIG. 1 but in two planes, asis best seen in the plan view according to FIGURE 5. The conveyor 3 onlypasses through the disinfectant bath since the rest of the conveyor doesnot leave the sterile space 2 as is the case according to the firstembodiment.

The containers 6 are fed at the location of the station 4 in the sameway as according to the embodiment represented in FIG. 1, exceptlaterally, as is best seen in FIG. 5. Discharging at the location of thestation is also effected laterally by means of guide rails 54, whichpush the containers sidewise from the U-shaped carriers 28, so that thesaid containers land on the discharge track 55. Due to the slightoverpressure in the space 2 a small quantity of sterile air is escapingcontinuously through this discharge region, so that nothing canpenetrate into this space from the outside.

been shown and described, it

It should be noted that the conveyor 3 of the installation according toFIGS. 2-5 contrary to the conveyor in the first embodiment, which onlyneeds to pivot in a single plane, must be capable of pivotal movement intwo planes, which are perpendicular to one another. I

While preferred embodiments of the invention have is to be understoodthat changes and variations may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An installation for filling with a sterilized substance and forsubsequent closing of continuously fed sterilized containers, the saidinstallation comprising a sterile space, a conveyor, a portion of whichis capable of movement within the said space, and a station, situatedoutside of the sterile space, for feeding containers to the conveyor, aduct provided with at least one mouth for feeding continuously thesterilized substance to the said space, a distributor arranged to movesynchronously with the conveyor, the said distributor being disposedbetween the conveyor and each mouth of the duct, and serving to fill thecontainers with sterilized substance, further means for providing aclosure on the containers, said movable distributor consisting of anendless belt, formed by a row of pivotally interconnected fillingfunnels, one part of the belt being substantially parallel to a portionof the conveyor path which is within the sterile space.

2. An installation according to claim 1 in which the conveyor iscomposed of a number of pivotally interconnected carriers, each carrierbeing capable of supporting one container.

3. An installation according to claim 1, whereby the entering of theconveyor into the sterile space at the location of the feeder stationand the leaving of said conveyor out of said space at the location ofthe discharge station both take place through a disinfectant bath insaid space.

4. An installation according to claim 3, whereby the conveyor, exceptfor its path within the sterile space, extends under the liquid level ofthe disinfectant bath.

5. An installation according to claim 4, whereby the conveyor pathwithin the sterile space consists of a first part in which thecontainers are moved in a downwardly inclined position, and a secondpart in which the containers are moved in a substantially erectposition.

6. An installation for filling continuously fed sterilized containerswith a sterilized substance and for subsequent closing of saidcontainers, the said installation comprising a sterile space, aconveyor, a portion of which is capable of movement within the saidspace, and a station, situated outside of the sterile space, for feedingcontainers to the conveyor, a duct provided with at least one month forfeeding continuously the sterilized substance to the said space, adistributor arranged for moving synchronously with the conveyor, thesaid distributor being disposed between the conveyor and each mouth ofthe duct, and serving to fill the containers with sterilized substance,further means for providing a closure on the containers, said movabledistributor consisting of an endless belt, formed by a row of pivotallyinterconnected filling funnels, one part of the belt being substantiallyparallel to a portion of the conveyor path which is within the sterilespace, the entering of the conveyor into the sterile space at thelocation of the feeder station and the leaving of said conveyor out ofsaid space at the location of the discharge station both take placethrough a disinfectant bath which is within said space, the feederstation being provided with means for filling the supplied containerswith a disinfectant before the same are placed on the conveyor.

7. An installation according to claim 6, whereby means are provided formaintaining an overpressure in the sterile space.

8. A method for filling a sterilized substance into sterilizedcontainers and subsequently closing said containers,

comprising the steps of conveying said substance in a continuous flow toa delivery mouth in a sterile space, feeding said substance from saidmouth to a distributor constituted by a number of buckets movingcontinuously in a closed path within said sterile space, advancing emptycontainers from a supply outside the sterile space through a sterilizingbath into said space, moving said containers under a part of the path ofthe distributor in synchronism with said distributor, such that eachcontainer com- Inunicates with a respective bucket, the speed of thedistributor being correlated with the feed rate of the substance, sothat each bucket during its period of cooperation with the deliverymouth receives a quantity of substance equal to that to be filled in onecontainer, said quantity being transferred to the associated containerwhile the latter travels through said common part of the path of thedistributor.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the containers are advancedfrom said supply and discharged from said sterile space along a pathwhich is substantially disposed in a vertical plane.

10. A method as claimed in claim- 8 comprising filling the containerswith a disinfectant liquid before introduction into the sterilizing bath.

11. A method of sterilizing and filling containers with a sterilizedsubstance, said method comprising immersing successive open uprightcontainers containing a sterilized fluid into a sterilized bath,continuously advancing the containers While still upright through saidbath into a sterile atmosphere, inverting the containers in saidatmosphere to discharge any sterilized fluid therein and leave thecontainers empty, reinverting the containers to upright position,filling the containers with a sterilized substance while in said sterileatmosphere and while the containers are continuously advancing, sealingthe containers while in said atmosphere and discharging the thus filledand sterilized containers from said atmosphere.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said containers are filledby advancing individual distributors in synchronism with respectivecontainers along linear parallel paths and successively introducing intoeach individual distributor a portion of the total quantity of materialto be filled into each container as the distributor advances with itsassociated container.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said containers are advancedalong a descending slope as they are being filled.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 comprising collecting any overflowof substance from said containers in said sterile atmosphere anddischarging such substance outside said atmosphere.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,734,585 11/1929 Ladewig et al2180 2,188,306 1/1940 Murch 53-94 2,380,984 8/1945 Moeller 53-37 X2,753,099 7/1956 Jenner et al l41131 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, PrimaryExaminer. FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner. R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner.

11. A METHOD OF STERILIZING AND FILLING CONTAINERS WITH A STERILIZEDSUBSTANCE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING IMMERSING SUCCESSIVE OPEN UPRIGHTCONTAINERS CONTAINING A STERILIZED FLUID INTO A STERILIZED BATH,CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING THE CONTAINERS WHILE STILL UPRIGHT THROUGH SAIDBATH INTO A STERILE ATMOSPHERE, INVERTING THE CONTAINERS IN SAIDATMOSPHERE TO DISCHARGE ANY STERILIZED FLUID THEREIN AND LEAVE THECONTAINERS EMPTY, REINVERTING THE CONTAINERS TO UPRIGHT POSITION,FILLING THE CONTAINERS WITH A STERILIZED SUBSTANCE WHILE IN SAID STERILEATMOSPHERE AND WHILE THE CONTAINERS ARE CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING, SEALINGTHE CONTAINERS WHILE IN SAID ATMOSPHERE AND DISCHARGING THE THUS FILLEDAND